Swimming and boating are popular recreational activities which are enjoyed by people of all ages, especially children. In the interest of safety during these activities, it is important that individuals learn to swim as early as possible. However, it is usually necessary for non-swimmers to enter the water for significant periods of time while they are learning to swim, thereby placing them at risk for drowning. Therefore, it is desirable to provide non-swimmers, especially children, with flotation devices for use while they are in the water and when they are learning to swim. In fact, most states require that children wear personal flotation devices while on boats.
One simple type of personal flotation device that has been found to be especially well adapted for use by children and non-swimmers is the flotation swimsuit. Flotation swimsuits are generally less obtrusive than standard personal flotation devices, such as life jackets. Thus, the wearer of a flotation swimsuit feels more natural, allowing the wearer to learn to swim without feeling overly dependent upon a flotation device. Additionally, flotation swimsuits may enhance the safety of children since it is more difficult for a child to remove a flotation swimsuit than it is to remove a vest or other similar flotation device.
Flotation swimsuits have been developed in a variety of designs. However, each of these suffers from disadvantages. For example, many flotation swimsuits rely upon inflatable compartments to provide buoyancy. However, inflatable compartments usually require inflation immediately prior to use and may become ineffective if punctured, thereby placing a child at risk for drowning. Other flotation swimsuits rely upon blocks of closed cell foam or like materials to provide buoyancy. However, the use of a single, monolithic foam block has been found to be impractical since large foam blocks are generally bulky and not amenable to inclusion in a comfortable swimsuit.
Flotation swimsuits using multiple smaller foam blocks have been developed which are less bulky and obtrusive than suits using single foam blocks and have been found to be aesthetically more appealing. These suits typically include a number of smaller foam blocks distributed at strategic locations within the swimsuit to ensure proper flotation and to maximize the likelihood that the airways of the wearer will remain above the surface of the water. In some prior flotation swimsuits, the foam blocks have been inserted into open pockets, however, there is some danger that blocks may fall out of an open pocket, or be removed by a child. Accordingly, it is desirable to place the foam blocks in closed pockets to prevent their removal.
Prior designs for flotation swimsuits incorporating numerous foam blocks in closed pockets have required relatively complicated construction steps, particularly the pocket closing step. The complexity of the sewing is also increased because the pocket construction and closing steps must be performed to form a separate pocket for each individual foam block. Therefore, there is a need for a new flotation swimsuit which has the advantages of the flotation swimsuits which incorporate numerous foam blocks, yet which minimizes the complexity of the required sewing and construction steps.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floatation swimsuit having simplified sewing while still simulating the structure of a suit having numerous individual floatation elements.
Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floatation swimsuit which provides a properly balanced buoyancy to ensure that the wearer's head and breathing passages remain above the surface of the water but which allows for a feeling of natural flexibility to aid the wearer in to learn to swim.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a floatation swimsuit which may be easily donned and removed.